Protection
by Team Graecisso
Summary: One-shot. Terra's early life of mind-control has left her sleep regularly disturbed by nightmares, and only a protective treasure hunter with a devoted former general can make them go away... Locke/Celes/Terra, T for implied behavior.


**Protection**

* * *

The nightmares, Terra knows, always come in patterns.

The first night of any cycle is calm and dreamless, as are the second and third. The fourth is a small tremor of fear, the fifth a larger one. The sixth is a normal dream, filled with every positive emotion she was now free to experience, and the seventh…the seventh was the opposite, a shrine to terror and pain.

Every seventh night she shakes a little as the sun sets, barely able to hear the others as they summarize their progress, with Strago's enthusiasm at his newest blue magic or Sabin's joyous retelling of their adventure at the auction house drowned out by the fear. After she can't control her shaking anymore, the half-Esper girl excuses herself to sleep, shuts her door tightly, closes her eyes, and fights desperately against her fatigue…_but my body always wins…_

No one has noticed yet, no one doing anything to stop her from going. Edgar thought only in passion and optimism…_he doesn't look like he's ever had a nightmare. _Sabin was the only man in history who could possibly surpass his brother in those two areas, and Setzer had no problem keeping up in the passionate department. Relm was an undersized traveler caught up in the excitement, Strago was torn between keeping her safe and enjoying the adventure, she was still surprised Mog knew how to talk…

_Locke…_Terra thought she'd seen the treasure hunter gazing critically at her when her shaking began to grow noticeable, but quickly shook her head. It had been five weeks since Thamasa, five weeks since she and her early protector had visited the magic village, and she doubted that Locke's eyes had spent five minutes of that time fixed on anything but Celes.

The green-haired girl lies silently down on her bed in the front of the airship, not wanting her eyes to close…she'll lie here all night and fight in her mind, the same way she fights the monsters that attack her friends…she's not going to sleep…_they can't have me again…_

As it has every seventh night, Terra's body betrays her again, and her eyes shut.

* * *

_Comfortable. _Locke couldn't think of a better way to describe his current situation. Celes Chere's head was resting on the right side of his bare chest, a perfect mane of light golden hair spreading over a blanket, the perfect legs of the former general curled around his.

The runic knight had been the one to walk up to Setzer and _suggest _that Cyan would probably be more comfortable in an actual room, and therefore he could have hers. Edgar's polite inquisition as to who she planned on staying with was met with a withering glare that actually caused him to stagger back, an action that Relm had lost no time imitating at every meal.

The treasure hunter bent down and kissed her head.

_Crash._

The noise had happened right outside their door. Locke jumped up out of instinct, his hand reaching for his Flametongue and lifting it before his mind caught up and informed his body that it probably wasn't an enemy.

"Hello? Setzer?"

Locke couldn't hear anything. He walked over to the door and edged it open, a flash of green filling his vision near his legs.

"Wha…Terra?"

Terra Branford was collapsed against the wall, her face dull. Locke placed a hand on her cheek.

"Terra?"

The girl's eyes focused, her head shaking. "No stop…sto…where…where…ah…" Locke noticed that the nails on Terra's right hand were digging into her skin.

"…Locke? I'm awake?"

Locke nodded, his face concerned. "You're awake, and you're safe. Was it a nightmare?"

Terra nodded back.

"…and you sleepwalked all the way out here?"

"I think…where…oh, your room! Did I wake you up?"

"No, it's fine. Treasure hunters don't have early bedtimes." Locke's wink caused Terra to giggle a bit, her fingers straightening again. "It sounds brutal, but at least it was only one bad thing and now we can get you back to bed, right?"

"Not one…"

"What?"

Terra's mouth shut. _He'll feel sad, I don't want him sad, I'm not bothering him with this…_

Locke's fingers straightened on her cheek. "Has this happened before?"

"Not…" Terra sighed. "Not every night. I have the really bad ones once a week…I don't think I've ever left my room before…"

Locke nodded. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Terra gave a bit of a snort, which made him grin. "I don't…I don't want to be weak, Locke. All of you know so well what we're doing and I'm the hesitant one who doesn't know anything about rebellions and caves and airships…"

Locke shook his head, unable to stop from laughing a bit. "Terra…we would not be here, today, without you. I guarantee you that. I…told you I'd look after you, and I will…I should have thought of something like this, but you seemed to be going so well…"

Terra gaped at him, now appearing awake.

"You're not trying to blame _yourself, _are you? That's what it looks like…but that doesn't make sense, I guess my emotions are all distorted or something…"

"Kefka's distorted. You're perceptive. Of course I do…I'm trying to look after you, I should notice these things…"

"You've been in such a good mood with Celes, why would you want to notice this?"

Locke shook his head, silver hair shaking with it. "Terra…I'm going to help you with this, I promise. I want you to be happy…and I will protect you."

Terra felt a rush of wanting through her…_I want him to keep me safe…_

"Now, we'll take you back to bed, all right? You need your rest, we're going back to Zozo tomorrow."

The green-haired girl stood up slowly, allowing Locke to put an arm around her and started walking back to bed. Her right hand found the bare skin of Locke's other side, and she grabbed it tightly as they walked.

* * *

The seven days passed as usual, with busy days and resting nights. The party would be off on _the mission, _soon…Terra knew Kefka was waiting for them with a large assortment of dark magical creatures, and she could sense a bit of tension in the otherwise jovial group of warriors.

On the seventh day, they had landed on an unknown island, hunting a monster which both Locke and Setzer had vaguely heard of and Strago had claimed to have seen before the world had been rearranged. She and Celes had gone with them, and it had taken three hours to locate and defeat the beast. The former general had been quite annoyed to find that her ice spells had barely scratched the unusually invisible beast, and was fuming a little about it on the walk back to the airship.

Terra smiled every time she saw Locke reach out and hold the blonde's shoulder affectionately, or when she saw Celes slow or speed her pace to match that of the treasure hunter. _It's like I can feel how happy they are…_

There was an undercurrent of something else, however. The half-esper wasn't sure what it was…_they're happy, so I don't know why there'd be a part of me that has a problem with it…maybe my emotions are all confused again…_

Terra could feel a light touch on her shoulder, and looked up. She must have slowed down, as she could see Setzer fifty feet away, experimentally handling her Maduin magicite, and Celes much closer, raising an eyebrow. Locke's hand was the one on her shoulder, his face close to hers.

"Tired?"

"No…I'm fine…" Terra realized the undercurrent in the treasure hunter's simple question, and wondered if she wasn't the only one counting the days…

"Don't worry. We're almost home."

* * *

"Locke?"

"Yes?"

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why aren't we sleeping?"

Locke blinked. Based on the waves of noise that had emitted from the runic knight for most of the last two hours, he was surprised that her mind was able to process such mundane things as the time…_of course, I guess even the aftermath of my ability wears off…at two in the morning…_

"Well, for one thing, looking at you is distracting. Secondly, I've been listening for Terra. She woke me up seven days ago, sleepwalking, and she said she gets really bad nightmares, every seven nights."

"Oh." Celes nodded. "What kind of nightmares?"

"I'm not sure, we didn't talk too long. Had to rush back here, after all, right?"

Celes grinned and shook her head. "Though I don't want you out of my bed for a second longer then necessary, I'd say that counts as a necessity, so…"

_Crash. _Locke jumped up again, his frame naturally covering Celes even as his mind noticed that the noise was almost identical to the one from last week.

The treasure hunter relaxed. "Her, probably. I'll just bring her in here, since you're awake."

Celes nodded a little, staring at him. Locke went quickly to the door, opening it, and seeing Terra against the wall again, though she was standing this time.

He put an arm around her waist, escorting her into the room…_she just came right along…she feels cold…_

The runic knight moved to the right side of their bed, leaving Locke plenty of room to lower her onto the mattress. As her head touched the pillow, it shook, and Terra jolted awake.

"_Kefka!" _Terra's scream startled Locke and he slipped, landing on her lower body. _"I won't!"_

"Terra, it's fine, you're awake!"

The half-Esper looked stunned, her gaze focusing on Locke. "…awake…"

"Yeah, you're up, it's fine!"

"…saved me…you saved me…" Terra's face was still stunned as she sprung up, her green hair swinging as her face moved towards Locke's and she kissed him.

Locke froze. His body was stiff and frozen as Terra's lips desperately sought out his, and he could taste dried blood in her mouth where she must have bit her lip and _Celes is sitting a sword-length from this…_

Abruptly, as if all of her energy was used up, Locke could feel Terra's body go limp. He placed one hand behind her back, lowering her down to the mattress, her lips refusing to slip away from his until her head hit the pillow and her eyes closed.

_Okay. She's asleep. _Locke could feel Time's mocking laughter as it stopped moving. _Terra's asleep now. Really asleep. Safe._

"…Locke?" The treasure hunter couldn't distinguish the emotion in Celes Chere's voice.

_Breathe. In. Out. In. Out._

"…you can't kill me, I'm closer to my sword then you are to yours."

"I think that depends on whether that statement is a euphemism or not."

Locke's gaze spun to hers. The treasure hunter wasn't sure where the murderous rage applicable to this situation was hiding, because the runic knight was smiling at him.

"…uhm…"

Celes shook her head. "I…don't think there's anything to say, Locke. The only thing I know is that she needs you to protect her."

Locke looked down, studying the face of the half-Esper female. Terra's green hair was loose and messy around her face. With her eyes closed, Terra's lips drew his gaze, as now Locke could plainly see the mark the sleeping girl had bit into…

"Well, you're…right…but your murder level is just a little low for the situation…"

"Why?"

"…why what?"

"Why is it low?"

"Uhm…because…" Locke gaped at Celes. It seemed odd that she didn't understand this…

"Listen, I think…I know what you're referring too, obviously, jealousy, or possessiveness, or…it's not like I haven't learned about it, Leo made me study emotions as well. But you don't…" Celes hesitated, her face more vulnerable then normal for the former general. "All of this seems strange to me, you know. I never thought I'd feel something like you…something that focuses the attention of my mind whether I'm happy with you or upset…so, to me, there aren't any guidelines here. I don't feel…like that bothered me, it just reminded me how good you are at making me feel safe."

The treasure hunter had nothing to say, his hand reaching out and gripping her hand. The runic knight smiled, gripping back.

"I know you're the best at this. There's no one I'd rather have holding me, so it makes sense if it helps Terra, too. Only…try and teach me how to help her, too? I saw her, when she was a captive and I was a General…it might have been one of the things that snapped me out of it, and I need to make it up to her for not saving her earlier."

Locke nodded, a grin creeping towards his silver hair. "It should be easy to teach you how to kiss her, you're both so naturally good at it…"

"…my lack of jealousy doesn't mean a lack of enjoying the act of hitting you."

* * *

"_This place…is safe, right, Locke?"_

_Terra always looked at his eyes when he spoke, brimming with conviction. The cool scent of the trees around was able to distract her nose, but not her gaze._

"_Every place that you're going to be is going to be safe, but yes. No one is going to hurt you here."_

"_You stay with me, right?"_

_Locke's face was dedicated, devoid of hesitation._

"_Yes."_

Terra Branford could see her dream as it slipped away and she woke up. Consciousness came quickly, pushed forward by a light weight on her chest…she let it rise and fall, and the weight was still there, so she opened her eyes to examine it.

Joy filled every inch of her body when she saw that the weight had silver hair. Locke's right arm was draped over her waist, fingers against her side.

"…Locke!"

Terra realized a second after she spoke that he wasn't awake, and wished she could take it back as he groaned and pushed his eyes open.

"…ungh…"

"Locke, you're with me, you're with me, you made the nightma…" Terra blinked, realizing the meaning of the words that had emerged from her lips. "…why are you with me?"

"Because he was helping you, obviously." Terra jumped at the voice on her left, and saw that Celes Chere was awake, gazing at her and smiling. _I'm not sure why there's no Ultima Weapon in her hand…_

"Helping?"

"Yeah, I'd say I'm pretty good at it." Locke slid up her, his face nearing hers. "Do you feel safe now?"

Terra couldn't force any words about him or Celes or him and Celes through her lips, so she nodded, her smile wide. Locke returned the smile, and the half-Esper felt a rush of warmth through her frame.

* * *

The next seven days went a lot like the last seven had. Terra, Locke, and Celes adventured by day and slept by night. Terra retreated to her room as the young couple went to theirs, creating enough noise to traumatize anyone who walked by at night.

On the seventh night, Terra Branford walked to their room instead, lying down on the left side of the bed, and wrapping her arms around Locke. Celes, on Locke's other side, wrapped hers around his left arm. Lying on his back, the treasure hunter turned his head to the right, kissed Terra, turned it to the left, kissed Celes, and closed his eyes.

All three slept with only good dreams.

* * *

"_It's warm here." Terra wasn't really sure where she was, definitely lying on a bed, but also apparently surrounded by a forest._

_She knew, however, that Locke and Celes lay on either side of her._

"_Yeah, it's very nice. Don't you think so, Locke?"_

"_I think sleep is nice. We should try that."_

_Celes giggled. "We already are. We're dreaming."_

"_I bet you have your eyes open right now. That's not sleeping."_

"_Sigh. Terra. Make him wake up."_

"_You mean really? I don't want him to really wake up, then he won't be here!"  
_

"_He's not going anywhere without us, don't worry."_

"_Good. In that case, Locke, you need to...hey!"_

_Locke was snoring on her shoulder, causing the two girls to growl in unison. Celes reached over Terra and pinched him._

"_...there's no reason for me to be awake!"_

_Terra looked at him hopefully. "I want a kiss."_

"_Well, Celes is right there behind you."_

_Terra raised an eyebrow, confused. Celes sat up and glared._

"_If that's the price I have to pay to make your eyes open…" The former general moved her face close to the former slave, sliding her lips onto Terra's. Celes grinned as she felt Terra's tongue sliding up into her mouth, every movement enthusiastic._

_The runic knight estimated that it took around half a second for the treasure hunter to spring up, though he showed no other sign of activity after that other then staring._

_When Celes finally broke the kiss, she moved her eyes from Terra's contented face to Locke's…interested one._

"_I'm guessing my instincts on that waking you up were right?"_

"…_you just kissed her!"_

"_Yeah, and I should have thought of it earlier." Celes smiled. "That felt nice."_

_Locke grinned. "All that time, wondering why you weren't jealous, I guess you just wanted to bide your time with me until you could get who you were really after."_

_Smirk. "She's very good. Very, very good. Very, very, very good."_

"…_not the best."_

"_Oh?"_

_Locke leaned over Terra, winking at her to make her smile, and then focusing his gaze on Celes. "Trust me. There's no one better then me when it comes to handling treasure."_

"_I'm going to need some proof of that, good sir."_

_Terra giggled. "I wouldn't mind some evidence of that, either."_

"_For you and you, my ladies…" and Locke's face was both happy and serious, equally fun-loving and protective, "…anything."_

* * *

Author's Note: the trickiest part of this one-shot was where in canon to put it. I had originally settled on right before the Floating Continent, because I could definitely imagine a 'honeymoon' phase for Locke and Celes after making up for the Thamasa fight, it fits Terra's character in this one better then it would after she'd spent a year in Mobliz taking care of the kids, and there are a lot of things to track down. However, even though it seems completely natural for someone playing the game to fly all over getting Mog's dances and Strago's lores, it's a bit harder to imagine the characters spending months doing it before assaulting the Floating Continent. They didn't know the World of Ruin was coming, after all.

Therefore, I've removed all specific references to that time so it can also go before Kefka's Tower, (and after the Phoenix Cave and most/all of the other side-quests, obviously.) The 'unnamed island' was originally Triangle Island, (to fight the Intangir,) but I'm pretty sure you can't do that in the World of Ruin. The party is obviously preparing to go on an important mission during this story, and that fits both the Floating Continent and Kefka's Tower, as they thought both would be the climatic battle before starting them.

All choices of names, such as weapons, come from the Advance version of FF6, which I personally consider the primary translation when it comes to names. (I'd have preferred it if FF6A left the original version of the Imprisoned Celes scene, but no other complaints.)

Leave a review and let me know how you liked it. Hopefully I've converted you to my dream world where Locke/Celes and Locke/Terra fans can get along, but feel free to tell me you didn't like it either, of course.


End file.
